Optimization of a PVA/acrylamide material for the recording of multiple diffraction gratings

Abstract

Photopolymers are considered one of the most interesting materials for holographic storage applications. The search for optimum chemical formulations to improve the quality of the final polymer materials has yielded a great deal of experimental work. different theoretical models have also been developed by different authors to clarify the mechanism of hologram formation inside photopolymer materials. These advances in both experimental and theoretical fields permit obtaining suitable compositions of photopolymer materials for data storage purposes. In this work we present the results of an optimization of a PVA/acrylamide recording material with a high thickness (over 1 mm) to obtain holographic memories. Diffraction gratings of 1125 lines/mm were recorded in this material by using the peristrophic multiplexing technique and using the light from an Argon laser at a wavelength of 514 nm.